Product Quality Manager - Paint & Decorative Tools

Kingfisher; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading home improvement company is seeking a Product Quality Manager in Southampton. The ideal candidate will oversee product quality for exclusive brands, ensuring safety and compliance while maintaining customer satisfaction. Key responsibilities include conducting product appraisals, setting quality requirements, and managing supplier relationships. The role emphasizes problem solving, customer focus, and inclusivity within a diverse team.

Benefits

Competitive benefits package

Opportunities for career growth

Flexible working hours

Qualifications

• Proven expertise in tackling complex problems to meet customer needs.
• Experience in leading supplier relationships.
• Ability to build strategic plans for the next 12 months.
• Track record of identifying improvement opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Ensure development of products that meet quality standards.
• Conduct risk assessments of products prior to launch.
• Approve product artwork and instruction manuals.
• Monitor advancements in product technology.

Skills

Problem solving expertise

Supplier relationship management

Strategic planning

Innovation and improvement

Change management

Customer focus

Data-driven decision making

Human and humane approach

Team inclusiveness

Accountability

Job description

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Overview

We're Kingfisher, A team made up of over 76,000 passionate people who bring Kingfisher - and all our other brands: B&Q, Screwfix, Brico Depot, Castorama and Koctas - to life. That's right, we're big, but we have ambitions to become even bigger and even better. We want to become the leading home improvement company and grow the largest community of home improvers in the world. And that's where you come in.

At Kingfisher our customers come from all walks of life, and so do we. We want to ensure that all colleagues, future colleagues, and applicants to Kingfisher are treated equally regardless of age, gender, marital or civil partnership status, colour, ethnic or national origin, culture, religious belief, philosophical belief, political opinion, disability, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.

We are open to flexible and agile working, both of hours and location. Therefore, we offer colleagues a blend of working from home and our offices, located in London, Southampton & Yeovil. Talk to us about how we can best support you!

As a Product Quality Manager (Paint & Decorative Tools) you will ensure the development and manufacture safe and compliant products that meet our customers' expectations in terms of quality, use and performance. You are accountable for the product quality of all Own Exclusive Brands (OEB) products within Ladders and Storage area. Supporting the implementation of the group quality strategy through active application.

What's the job?

• Understand the Brand guidelines for each of the OEB Brands within their categories. Use this information to ensure the products are developed in line with the agreed performance / quality criteria.
• Understand the key benchmarks for products / categories. Monitor new technology advancements in designated product categories. Speak with authority on what key competition is doing with ranges from a performance / quality perspective.
• Work with relevant industry specialists to keep up to date on developments, identify and recommend areas for research / product development to Range team thereby ensuring the OEB ranges are relevant and meet the customer promises.
• Set the appropriate Product Technical Requirements for Kingfisher products taking into account; Benchmarking outputs, Brand positioning, corporate positions e.g. on Sustainability, Regulatory requirements and fitness for use / performance testing.
• Conduct Product Appraisals to ensure that products are safe, legal and meet the intended brand principles for use.
• Ensure products are risk assessed before launch to anticipate any consumer issues and documented to meet the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations.
• Approve artwork and Instruction Manuals. Ensure any Usage Instructions are correct, claims / guarantees substantiated, and relevant legal / compliance information is correct.

What you'll bring

• I use my expertise to tackle sophisticated problems to meet customer needs
• I lead supplier relationships to build great experiences for customers
• I build plans to support the business for the next 12 months
• I find improvement opportunities and bring fresh ideas
• I make change happen in my team or local area
• I have a positive impact on others and role model our values
• I help others to understand our purpose and support them with opportunities to grow

Be Customer Focused - constantly improving our customers' experience

• I listen to my customers
• I use available data to help make decisions

Be Human - acting with humanity and care

• I do the right thing
• I am respectful

Be Curious - thrive on learning, thinking beyond the obvious

• I build and share new ideas
• I try new things and share my learnings

Be Agile - working with trust, pace and agility

• I have courage to be creative
• Done is better than perfect, I aim for 80/20

Be Inclusive - acting inclusively in diverse teams to work together

• I embrace allyship
• I have self-awareness and a desire to learn

Be Accountable - championing the plan to deliver results and growth

• I own my actions
• I understand the Kingfisher plan and how it relates to my role

At Kingfisher, we value the perspectives that any new team members bring, and we want to hear from you. We encourage you to apply for one of our roles even if you do not feel you meet 100% of the requirements.

In return, we offer an inclusive environment, where what you can achieve is limited only by your imagination! We encourage new ideas, actively support experimentation, and strive to build an environment where everyone can be their best self. Find out more about Diversity & Inclusion at Kingfisher here!

We also offer a competitive benefits package and plenty of opportunities to stretch and grow your career.

Interested? Great, apply now and help us to Power the Possible.
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